The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-03-24
Some Matters Which are Receiving
Attention at Present.

Some Matters Which are Receiving
Attention at Present.
The Press and Banner entirely disa'
grees with every sentiment which would
seem to foster belief that the former
days were better than these. We believe
in the constant growth and never ceasing
development of all the better qualities
of man, and we believe that the human
race to. day is better in every desirable
quality than it was fifty years ago, or at
any other period in the worlds history
Before ne can definitely decide as to
the advance or retrograde of civilization
|, we must first define what is meant by
civilization" In olden times there was
high civilization" but it was a differ
ent type from what might be called the
"Christian civilization" The old Ro-
mans hundreds of years before the birth
of our Saviour had Civilization"
which in one sense may be said to have
been a higher civilization than the
"Christian civilization" They cultiva-
ted that chivalry, bravery and manhood,
which was devoid of the sweetness, purity
and love of fellow man, which is taught
by the "Christian civilization" The
"Knights" of later days were brave and
honorable, but theirs was 8 different
civilization from ours. When we speak
of the advance or retrograde of "civiliza'
tion," ne should frtjt decide what is
meant by civilization"
The people of to-day practice those
humane and tender traits Of the human
heart to a greater extent than at any
previous time. In Christian country,
as ours is, it is difficult to separate ciyili.
zation from those precepts which were
taught by our Saviour. If the printed
records as to the spread of the gospel
and as to tho growth Of Christianity are
any index to truth, our culture and our
civilization has advanced as rapidly as
the sciences and the mechanic arts. The
small handful of followers Of the humble
Gallilean, two thousand years ago, haye
greatly increased in numbers, and have
since then put foot upon the soil Of every
land, and these followers have made
their impress upon every people With
whom they have come in contact.
We do not believe the hman race re.
trogrades in any truly manly or godlike
particular, but we believe that every in.
vented device, and every discovery of
any useful force has contributed to the
wealth Of the couatry, and added to the
grand total of human happiness.
We take no stock in the TRADE against
railroads, either separately or consolida-
ted, and we have nothing to say against
the accumulation of capital by those
possessing the skill to make the money,
or inheriting the power of conquest. No
institution, corporation, or other known
human agency has done SO much for the
| civilization, development or growth of a
country or for the benefit of all classes
and conditions of people, as the railroads
have done. They employ more laborers
than any branch of industry outside Of
agricultural pursuits, and they give
higher pay than any other corporation.
If the man with muscle and brain goes
into the coal mines, or the factories, the
probability is, that he will never rise
from his menial position, but if the same
man goes to work for the railroads his
manual labor will be relieved as he is ad-
vanced This position and as his pay and
his responsibility is increased.
From the very nature of things the
railroads are obliged to have faithful
service. The companies cannot afford to
entrust their valuable property and the
lives of their passengers in the hands OF
careless or inexperienced hands, nor can
they afford to leopard the valuable
freight for which they are responsible.
The fear that great railroad combina-
tions may ruin the country, is, in our
opinion, NOT founded on any reasonable
or probable assumption.
When little petty tyrants owned the
little short roads, they practiced those
evils Of discriminating for or sIgainst the
cities which might be in their favor OF
which may have incurred their displeas.
ure. We all remember the old rickety
coaches and the slow trains that Doda.
mead and Charleston run over the poo,
track of the Columbia aud Greenville
Railroad, and we have not forgotten the
exhorbitant charges which they made fol
poor accommodations. Everybody notices
the improved trains and the quick transit
since the consolidation.
These great corporations care nothing
for tearing down Richmond to build ur
Baltimore. They will likely do nothing
for the destruction of Charlotte, Colum.
bia or Augusta. Neither will they put
Charleston to the nursing bottle. In oul
own opinion, these great corporations
will neither build nor tare down cities by
their own dictum.
| If the consolidated roads shoulG
attempt injury to the country, we have
State laws to protect US. If they seek tt
violate the rights Of any citizen q grane
jury and an organized Court can he founi
in every county through which foot O
their track is laid. In every county
petit jury can be found who will pro
tect their neighbors and SEQ that they
suffer no wrong from the railroads, ever
though they were disposed to infic
wrong.
The idea that the invention of labor
saving machines is injurious 10 th,
welfare and happiness of the laborer il